2011-2014. The original blog that got it all started. It represents reflections I had and sharing I did, during a time period in my life, freshly post autism diagnosis, worsening illness, though I wasn't yet clear on things. I was trying to process and going through a lot of hard learning. There's some good stuff in here, which helped others, and there's also some stuff that no longer reflects my situation and/or evolved insights. Please read with this in mind.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Entry 23: Meaningful Work

Entry 23: Meaningful WorkOct. 19.
2012

Is there more than one definition of hard work?
Did a guy who used to be in the Navy Seals become lazy because he can no
longer do 300 pushups due to being injured in a car accident? Did the
progressing arthritic who needed to get a special cart with wheels to get their
groceries become a cop out? Am I a cop out because, although I pushed myself to
make a nutritious dinner, I needed help to pick up the mess and clean up the
dishes to load the washer, because I was having a fibro flare?

Society today is so go go go, so we tend to feel
like “failures” when we just have to stop, or make modifications. North
American society especially seems to look upon un-faulted debility as a shame,
or as a pity...or as both synonymously.

To make matters worse, this shame seems to extend
to whether a person "requires help and/or accommodation." In many
other societies and cultures around the world, and sometimes even in religious
beliefs...debility is seen as a "family responsibility.” If a family
member is sick or injured, other family members come in to help them without
much question or resentment. In Islamic cultures it is seen as a religious
service to Allah, as a great positive of family loyalty and love. I've found
this through having Islamic friends, although I am not religious but spiritual.

If many were not as blinded by islamophobia, they could
see the positives. I think
we should remember that religious extremism occurs in all religions, and that
positive attributes occur in all religions too.

Extremism doesn't necessarily represent the key
philosophies and principals of those religions. I personally am not able to
agree with absolutely everything from any one religion, so I choose not to be
of any one particular religion, although I’m spiritual.

Back to why I brought up Islam, I recently read a
paper about how autistic children in the middle east
(particularly severe) get some of the greatest care and unconditional
love within their family, in the whole world. It was interesting to observe.

Many cultures and religions, Islamic being one of
them, would consider having the thoughts of needy family members being a burden
as morally wrong. It is. However, our North American societal attitude is of
someone who may be disabled from full time work and needing the help of
caregivers being “lame” and “less achieved.” It's also, paradoxically, beneath
a surface glossed with phony philanthropy, in a series of "politically
correct" and "obligatory" actions.

Here it is not only a burden to help another
person, it's something we better be paid to do. In fact, we accept this as
fully part of business to "serve" people. This way, quality of care is given in tiers
based on financial status.

The most important point to this is that the ones
who collect the most money from this "service" are those who
aren't doing any serving at all. Not only has "helping" service been
mostly capitalized on, but it is placed on a pyramid where the ones who are
doing the serving are getting paid the lowers wages, sort of subliminally suggesting
that it is a form of labor reserved for the "economically/educationally
inferior." The ones running the “helping” business aren’t doing the bulk
of the work, but are raking in the doe. It’s like modern serfdom.

Often, those who are unable to work, especially if
on disability income assistance or whatnot, are placed even lower than those
who are "at least able to work." It definitely goes unsaid and is
very subliminal, but it's very much the way many tend to think of those having
to be on disability assistance. It's a source of shame.

It's almost like society is under a sociological
hypnosis and they are all chanting "time is money, money is time, time is
money..." and there is no moment to stop and say that you love this
person, have compassion for them, and see them as a human being.

Another fellow human being whom you are
helping because that is love and service, and that is what we are supposed to do with each other. That is
what we're here for. Not to be obsessed with material gains and status in the
way of level of education, rate of wage, level of political power.

Sadly, we are often disabled from finding the time
to provide more assistance to those in need, because we need to earn a living
and survive ourselves. In fact, and in respect, it's necessary to be paid even
if one wants to be in the helping profession passionately. This is the way it
is right now. Obviously, people have to make a living. It's about being fair
about it, and (in my humble opinion) being self- employed interdependently, as
opposed to being "below" in a tier system.

Those who are really able have the time to freely
help, without losing out (including a needed pay check) are the wealthy. Of
course, they do not do it often enough. They are often wasting a lot of their
time and money on things that are ultimately irrelevant.

Leading was supposed to be for a helpful
purpose...not for abuse of power by multiple ways of retaining multiple
and proverbial material possessions to the point of gluttony.

Following wasn't supposed to be really following in
the way of a herd, to a leader who says they are better than you, in exchange
for comfortably overly modest sense of self and basic security.

I think following really means following purpose,
virtue, the pull of the universe, following in the way of observing where there
is need for service, and a compassionate desire to give it. Following by way of
working with a team to build a bridge or a temple, or a shelter from the cold.
If we help our loved ones in need then that is spiritually following.

Again, some cultures frown upon paid positions to
service those in need, out of belief that it is a family affair. I see their
viewpoint, though here it's not set up like that. In theory though, it's
beautifully primitive and humanistic.

When did everything, even the personal things like
healthcare and caregiving move from shamans and loving family members, turn to
money making businesses where someone at the top thrives in luxury and those
underneath take a wage barely decent enough to care for themselves… as they perform the necessary labors? It
happened starting long time ago.

Eventually those caregiving people may end up sick
and tired, and need the system and caregivers paid a low wage too. The cycle
continues. Well, that's backwards to the family inclusion that represents
love, as opposed to greed...just look at it. However, it’s set up this way and
almost unrealistic to get out of it. Change can only happen slowly, by way of
gradual modification. In addition, there are people out there, even
smaller-business-based companies within the helping professions, who are
genuinely coming from compassion.

So back to my question and actually, what is the real
defintion of hard work? Busting in obedience, in order to be qualified, classified,
certified or whatever else it takes to be in adequate wage rate, to survive and
pay debt? To become the people at the tops' favorite banking and spending
victims? Or trying your best with what your life experience has given you, to
follow a purposeful career which answers only to your own entity, and in which
your cost of service is fair, reasonable, and allow the time needed to hold
your family dear, and help them unconditionally as you are able, and as is
needed. This holds virtue.

Even if you are sick with chronic illness,
debilitated and compromised in some way; but you spend each and every day
enjoying life as best you can to the fullest; this is the best one can do. Rising
above, practicing hobbies and talents, sharing them as a therapeutic outlet for
yourself and others, is wondrous. Whether you are part of creating
positive political change that will work to abolish injustice.

Whether you are an artist producing beautiful
works...I feel that the real "achievers" are those who are true to
themselves, and good to others, who "harm none" and also, care
for themselves too.

I feel it’s greater to be one who is conscious of
humanity and purpose, as opposed to being "obsessed" with what
society deems as "achievement" and "adequacy." This
attitude infiltrates our North American culture, and the culture of the modern
"developed" world. Maybe we need to look past the illusion, slow down
and go back to the beginning...before we started to try to become "Civilized"
and Colonial.